Take Your Cooking to the Next Level Using an Immersion Circulator

Have you ever wondered how that last filet you ordered was perfectly pink from the top to bottom and side to side? No matter whether you bake, pan fry, roast, grill or broil your meat at home, you always have one side darker than the other, or the edge well done while the interior is medium rare.

We have good news. Sous Vide cooking is no longer only accessible to restaurant chefs with fancy equipment. You can get the perfectly pink-all-over steak at home too!

WHAT IS SOUS VIDE?

Sous Vide (sue-veed) means ‘under vacuum’ in French. It is a cooking method that entails cooking vacuum-sealed foods in a water bath. You can’t just pop your vacuum-sealed piece of fish into a pot of boiling water to achieve restaurant-quality results, though. The water bath temperature is very precisely controlled by a Sous Vide machine over a set period of time. 

Immersion circulators are handy and affordable tools that home cooks can now use to achieve the exact same results. 

WHAT IS AN IMMERSION CIRCULATOR?

An immersion circulator is the home cook’s answer to a Sous Vide machine. They are compact stick devices that clamp onto a pot filled with water. The immersion circulator then heats the water to the desired temperature and circulates it to maintain that precise temperature without any fluctuations. Since the stick comes as a standalone unit, you can use any pot you already have to cook in and don’t need to clear extra counter space for a sizable machine.

Sous Vide cooking with an immersion circulator is very simple. You’ll simply attach the device to your pot of water and set the time and temperature as needed. Place your piece of meat, fish, chicken, or raw egg in a sealable bag and clip it to the inside of the saucepan. Once done, give the meat a quick sear or grill to add the last crispy golden layer.

BENEFITS OF COOKING WITH AN IMMERSION CIRCULATOR

You may be wondering whether the addition of this gadget to your kitchen is really worth it. Any professional chef will tell you that it most certainly is!

The precise and consistent cooking temperature prevents uneven doneness and overcooking. The food cooks in its own juices which means it loses none of its volume. Meat that is cooked traditionally on the stovetop, grill, or in the oven, loses around 40% of its moisture. Not only does that cause faster drying out but it also means it loses its plump shape. With a Sous Vide technique meat remains juicy and tender and retains its best flavor.

In addition, you don’t have to stand over the pot constantly watching your food to ensure it doesn’t overcook. Simply place the bag in the water and leave it to do its thing.

When cooking fish like salmon in a pan, you will often notice that it expels white albumen as it starts to dry out. The interior may be slightly pink while the edges lose their flakiness and delicate texture. With an immersion circulator, you can get even pinkness through and through with a soft flaky texture and no loss of moisture.

Similarly, you can now make the perfect soft egg every single time. Skip the guessing game with overcooked whites and undercooked yolks. Sous Vide eggs allow you to get the ideal soft yolk with perfectly cooked egg white.  

Taking your cooking to the next level really is as easy as adding a simple new cooking toy to your kitchen collection.